The spin on the Bryant suicide is beginning. They say it was

[rzemanfl]

because of an "anonymous tip" but if the call was made to the abuse hotline, it would be anonymous by law, even if the call came from a physician or school official. That is not mentioned:

http://news.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB435SZC6F.html

I predicted yesterday to some folks that this would lead to a claim that overzealous action by the child protection folks drove this guy to off himself. It's starting, this is being portrayed as a "tragedy." The authorities have to fight this with one hand tied behind their back because the adopted daughters are minors and the abuse reporter information is strictly confidential. If Schiavo is any indication of how this will play out, the judge will be a target.

[Swamp Rat]

1. The "tragedy" is what that child molester John Bryan did to the victims.

[Igel]

5. Did he?

I mean, apparently he did commit adultery, so some would say his wife was a victim.

But the rest are, for the present, unproven accusations. Unless we want to assume that *all* unproven accusations are true, or relativize our beliefs by partisanship. (I mean, numerous repubs certainly did this in the '90s, checking party-affiliation before evaluating whether an accusation is true. I've seen a few dems tacitly imply by their conduct that this is a highly moral approach, but none have said so explicitly, to my knowledge.)

[Swamp Rat]

6. What are you talking about?

"he did commit adultery?" - So?

"Unless we want to assume that *all* unproven accusations are true, or relativize our beliefs by partisanship." - What? We?

"checking party-affiliation?" - Huh?

"imply by their conduct" - Who?


as·sume verb, -sumed, -sum·ing.
1. to take for granted or without proof; suppose; postulate; posit: to assume that everyone wants peace.
2. to take upon oneself; undertake: to assume an obligation.
3. to take over the duties or responsibilities of: to assume the office of treasurer.
4. to take on (a particular character, quality, mode of life, etc.); adopt: He assumed the style of an aggressive go-getter.
5. to take on; be invested or endowed with: The situation assumed a threatening character.
6. to pretend to have or be; feign: to assume a humble manner.
7. to appropriate or arrogate; seize; usurp: to assume a right to oneself; to assume control.
8. to take upon oneself (the debts or obligations of another).
9. Archaic. to take into relation or association; adopt.
10. to take something for granted; presume.

[rzemanfl]

7. If these allegations were unfounded, why didn't he just move into

the second home he conveniently had and fight it in court? We apply a similar standard to murder-suicides, rather than speculating that the person who stuck a gun in their mouth and pulled the tigger was so distraught over finding the other person dead that they did themself in.

Besides, the guy was a Republican, I apply a rule of thumb that if one of them is accused of something-they're guilty. Can you point out a situation where this rule of thumb isn't predictive?

[Richard Steele]

10. When a Repub resigns & kills himself, he's done more than cheat on his wife. nm

[BlooInBloo]

12. O fairest-minded one, would you leave him along with YOUR beautiful young daughter?

[glowing]

2. Rather amazing that they would write a report like that. It is so one-sided.

Why,if he was not guilty, would he not fight tooth and nail against the charges. The judge's job is to protect the children. Its hard to believe people we think are inherently good, would do bad....that the people we think we should and do trust are hidden monsters... but isn't that what we found when certain Catholic priests were pedophiles? It can be anyone.

[Pachamama]

3. The headline is so misleading - it implies that an innocent man committed suicide due to a bad tip

I personally had never heard about this case until reading this article. As I read it, based on the headline, I had the impression as I said above in the subject line, that the headline implied to me an innocent man had been falsely accused (and thus committed suicide or had been killed by somebody). But as I read the story and realized what he had been accused of (molesting both his adopted daughters and a nanny), I was wondering why if he was so "respected", he didn't deny or fight the allegations tooth and nail and I also found it interesting that he "admitted to having consensual sex with the Nanny while she was an adult".

I'm sorry, but I just have a really hard time reading a story like this and wondering why so much sympathy seems to be garnered for this man and that the allegations are treated as if they couldn't possibly be true. Seems to me this man wasn't a deeply "personal man" but rather a man who was a coward and who didn't want to face what was coming his way, probably because they were true. And if they weren't true, he should have fought them. I'm sorry for his family who have suffered possibly in more ways than just his death and are going to need to do a lot of healing.

[TomInTib]

4. God, I love it. Death by Lawn Mower (Found in Golf Cart)

"Bryan, 56, was found by a St. Petersburg Times reporter about 5:45 p.m. Friday slumped in a golf cart in the garage of Bryan's second home in Floral City. In the closed garage were a riding lawn mower that was running and two four-wheelers that also appeared to have been running but were found out of gas. A suicide note was found in the house, but the Citrus County Sheriff's Office has declined to reveal the contents."

From the article...

It is 3:35 in the morning and I am way too drunk to make this stuff up.

I just love the image of the asshat slumped over in his golf-cart (you have only a marginal idea how difficult that was for me to type).

T

[rzemanfl]

8. How's your hangover today? n/t

[TomInTib]

11. I am never hungover.

But maybe overhung.

[Ino]

9. Politician commits suicide and Dateline wasn't involved!

Who will the family sue?

[begin_within]

13. I clicked on this because I thought it was going to be about Anita Bryant

[never_get_over_it]

14. So if this other guy just KNEW he was going to kill himself

"Yet Foster predicted the tragic outcome after reading Bryan's terse resignation letter on Friday. Just hours later, the city council chairman committed suicide amid a criminal investigation into allegations that he sexually abused two of his adopted daughters and a nanny.

"I've known John for a long time and I knew what was important in his life," Foster said. "And I knew by the tone of his resignation and by the few allegations that were allowed to be made public.

"I just knew it."



WHY in the hell didn't he go and stay with him or have someone else stay with him - sounds like a great friend to me....